Accounting and filing system



April 14, 1953 H. WE{$TON 2,634,729

ACCOUNTING AND FILING SYSTEM Filed May 26, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET l l I I FIG. 3

f r/ ma 1 g? FIG. 6

zom: 3 INVENTOR sourj- EASTERN f/erfierl #Qsfafl 30 P 1953 H. WESTON ACCOUNTING AND FILING SYSTEM 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed may 26, 1951 ATTORN S Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to card indexes or card registers of the type in which the cards are arranged in horizontal echelon and in which the cards are arranged in groups separated from each other by dividers and in sub-groups separated from each other by intermediate dividers.

As is well known, in such filing systems, the lower edges of the cards are provided with slots adapted to coact with spacing members in the filing cabinet whereby each card is spaced laterally from the adjacent card to expose a portion of each card on which suitable identifying entries are made. The upper edge of each card may also be provided with suitable marking which is normally covered by the adjacent card but which is exposed when the adjacent card is removed from the cabinet thereby giving a card out indication or signal.

In such systems, groups of cards are generally separated from adjacent groups by main dividers and the groups may further be divided into subgroups by intermediate dividers. The present invention is directed to the construction of the main divider and its co-operation with the intermediate dividers. To protect the upper edge of the cards from wear, the dividers generally extend upwardly beyond the tops of the cards. If the main dividers are made of cardboard, sheet metal or any of the usual materials, this results in a decrease in visbility and is, therefore, a disadvantage.

In the present construction the upper portion of the main divider is provided with channels at its upper and lower edges to receive index tabs or cards. The index tabs are slidable in these channels, and may thus be positioned at any desired point transversely of the divider.

Heretofore, sub-indexes have been placed on tabs secured to the upper edges of the subdividers. As these tabs are not readily visible when the main divider is in position, it has heretofore been necessary to first move the main divider, then pick out the proper sub-divider, and move it to obtain access to the particular sub-group of cards desired. An important feature of the present invention is the utilization of the channel in the main divider in conjunction with tabs on the sub-dividers to obtain quick access to a desired sub-group of cards. Instead of placing indexes on the sub-dividers, all of the indexes are placed in the channel of the main divider. The tab of the sub-divider corresponding to the index is placed in alignment with the index tab on the main divider.

,This feature of the invention may also be employed, with advantage, in forms of the invention in which the upper edge of the divider is either transparent or not transparent. Thus when the upper edge of the divider is not transparent I may provide means on its face to re ceive index numbers and permit their adjustment laterally of the divider to align them with tabs on the intermediate dividers.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown several embodiments of the invention. In this showing: a

Fig. l is a perspective view of a number of dividers, groups of cards, and intermediate dividers assembled;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of a main divider, showing the arrangement of the index members; 7

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the upper edge of a main divider, illustrating another use of the index channel;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view;

Fig. 5 is a detailed, sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of an index tab;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of another form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of still another form of the invention; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral I designates generally the bottom of a filing cabinet or case in which the cards are arranged. The case is provided with a plurality of aligning or positioning members 2 extending from the front to the rear. These members are adapted to be received in slots 3 in the bottom of the cards and in filing, the cards are positioned in echelon with the edge of each card C spaced a distance from the edge of the adjacent card as indicated at 5. Adjacent the top, the edges of the cards may be inclined as at 6, to receive desired data which is visible when a group or subgroup of cards is opened.

The main divider is represented generally by the reference numeral I0 and consists of a body portion H, a transparent upper edge portion I2 and end rails [3. The body portion may bemade of any suitable material, such as fire-proof board, metal or the like. It is thus generally opaque. To provide for the proper visibility and at the same time protect the upper edges of the cards, the transparent strip I2 is secured to the upper edge of the body portion. This may be made of a suitable plastic, such as Tenite II, as stated. As shown, it may be secured to the. body portion in any suitable manner as by rivets IS. The strip 12 includes a portion 56 extending upwardly in the same plane as the body portion of the divider and a portion I! which is curved rearwardly toward the next main divider. This portion may be shaped as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to form a magnifying lens.

The end mile [3 maybe of any suitable form but are of greater width or thickness than the sheet material from which the body of the divider is made, and when a number of them are placed in a cabinet, they form a substantially solid or continuous side wall as shown in Fig.,1 of the drawings, the groups of cards being arranged in the spaces between the body portions.

of the two adjacent dividers, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Wherelarge groups of cards are filed, intermediate dividers i 8 are arranged betweensub-groups and'these intermediate dividers have suitable tabs Is on their upper edges which project above the cards and the intermediate dividers, 'but are below the tops of the main dividers.

The'bodyportion of the main divider may be secured to the end rail in any suitable manner. In the drawing I'have shown the end rail substantially channel-shaped having a front leg 22 and a rear leg 23. If the body portion of the divider is made of metal, such as sheet aluminum, each side edge may be bent upon itself, as shown at 24, and secured to the divider in any suitable way as by rivets 25 (see Fig. 5).

As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the rear face 28 of the upper portion of the transparent strip is arranged in a single plane. At its upper and lower edges, the rear face is provided with channels or guides 29 to receive the edges of an index member 30 (see Fig. 6). The index member may be slippedinto position with its upper andlower edges in these channels. As the channels extend the full length of the divider, or entirelyacross the filing cabinet, a number of index members mounted on dividers in the cabinet may be positioned laterally on each divider. This provides several advantages in a filing system of this type. Heretofore, when a group of cards consisted of two or more sub-groups, a person desiring 'to open a certainsub-group would first move the main divider to expose the indexes on the sub-dividers, and then grasp the tab of the proper sub-divider to open the desired sub-group.

In the use of the main divider of the present invention, where a number of index members 30 may bearranged transversely of a main divider, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I align the tab is of each intermediate divider with a corresponding index member on the intermediate forward main divider and thus eliminate one operation in locatingacard in a given sub-group. The person desiring the card, with one finger, grasps the tab of the intermediate divider in alignment with the index member 30. designating the particular sub-group, and opens the bank of cards to the desired sub-group in a single operation.

This is. illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings in which four index tabs 306, 38!, 382 and 33 are carried by the divider, bearing suitable written matter to identify the four sub-groups of cards. As the first sub-group of cards is immediately behind the divider, it is merely necessary to move the upper edge of the main divider forwardly to obtain access to it. The sub-dividers of the second, third and fourth groups are provided with tabs I9], I92 and I93 in alignment with the index tabs 30! 302 and 303. When a person desires ac cess to one of these groups, he grasps the tab in alignment with the proper index member, and opens the banks of cards to the desired sub-group.

The rearward curving of the upper edge portion I! of the main divider, in addition to the alignment of the tab [9 and the index tab 30, enableopening of a file toga desired sub-group of cards with greater facility, than in 'otherisystems. This will be apparent from Fig. 4 of the drawings. If the upper edge of the main divider were in the plane of the body portion, it would be positioned forwardly-of tabs [9, and even though a person grasped the. main divider in proper alignment with adesired tab l9, further effort would be required to grasp the tab I9.

As shown in Fig. 4, the upper edge of the main divider'is substantiallypin the plane of the rear of the group of cards. Therefore, if a user places his finger over the edge of the main divider in proper lateral position as determined 'byan index tab 35, his finger will of necessity engage the proper tab is as he moves his hand and the main divider forwardly to open the file.

Another use of th'e'c'hannel Z-B is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Where a'group of cards is'used for records of stock available, machines available for a given sort of work, man-hours available, or the like, a chart-fl ma'y be arran-ged in a portion of this channel. A plastic strip 45 of a color contrasting tothe color of 'the chart is immovably mounted in an adjacent portionof the channel. A second plastic strip 42 of the same color as the strips! 'is movably mounted in the channel. The second strip is preferably mounted in the-rear of the first strip and in front of the chart. The strip 1112. may thenbe'moved with respect to the chart as the supply of material available is consumed, machines or manhours. located, or other stock material. or other commodity is consumed orreplaced. Thus when supplies are replenished or machines or men: are released by the completion of a'job, the movable strip 42' may be adjusted in an opposite direction to indicate a larger quantity of hours, men or material available.

While the use of the transparent upper edge is necessary to obtain all of the advantages; of the present, invention, some of' the features may be utilized in main dividers in which the upper edge is, not transparent, as illustrated in Figs. '7 to 10. Thus inFigs. 7, and 8, I haveshown a main divider consisting of a body portion 553; and end rails 51. At the upper-edgethe metal, or other material of which the body 5.53; is, formed, is extended rearwardly as at-52: and then bent upon itself, as indicated at 53;. This not only provides the added'strength ofdouble thickness. atrthe upper edge of the divider, -which is'generallysubmitted; to rough treatment in 'actual use, butit also'provides two parallel edges; 54::and 55 to.cot.- operate in ho lding index tabs; As shown, I: may QY p ent. ho de 56; havin curled edges an 58. 0 n sei d s 55: a d-.55. of the divider. v Suitableindeggtabs, 59 may be retained in place by holders 56;. Thedivider ma be ided. w th. pac d. .upstruck portions 6!} to retain the holders, and: tabs in. desired lateral positions. V A slightly, different construction is shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Inthis form; themain divider body fil terminates" in an upper. edge '62; An edge member 63 is arrangedat' an angle asshowm and provided. With an extensionz-fi i arranged; beybnd body BI and secured thereto by rivets B5, or other suitable means. Upper edge 66 of the member 63 is curled, as shown, to cooperate with upper edge 62 to form a channel for the reception of index tabs 61. These tabs may be retained in adjusted position laterally by upstruck portions 68. After tabs 51 have been positioned, they may be covered by a transparent strip 59, extending from one side of the divider to the other.

It will be apparent that, as the index tabs can be arranged laterally as desired in the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the advantages of access to sub-groups by aligning the tabs of the sub-groups with the proper index members as heretofore described in connection with Fig. 2 of the drawing may be obtained with either of these forms. Likewise, either of these forms may be employed for keeping records as heretofore described in connection with Fig. 3.

The detailed construction of the divider shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 of the drawings is described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 165,967, filed June 3, 1950 (now Patent No. 2,584,174, granted February 5, 1952).

I claim:

1. In a card registry, a plurality of main dividers, the main dividers comprising end rails of appreciable thickness and sheets connecting the end rails, the end rails when assembled forming substantially solid side walls and forming spaces between the sheets for the reception of cards, the main dividers being provided with laterally-extending channels adjacent their upper edges into which individual index members may readily be inserted, individual index members mounted in the channels, intermediate dividers arranged between the main dividers, tabs carried by the intermediate dividers and extending upwardly from their upper edges, the tabs of each intermediate divider directly behind each main divider corresponding to the index members of such main divider and being in alignment therewith, the upper portion of the main dividers extending rearwardly a distance suificient to bring the upper edge thereof adjacent the tab of the rearmost intermediate divider of the group of intermediate dividers directly behind it, whereby a person may, with one finger, simultaneously and in a single operation, pull forward any main divider and any intermediate divider of the group of intermediate dividers directly behind it.

2. A card registry as defined in claim 1 in which the upper portion of the main dividers extends upwardly as well as rearwardly and the tabs of each group of intermediate dividers directly behind each main divider lie vertically below the upwardly and rearwardly-extending upper edge portion of such main divider.

HERBERT WESTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,294,948 Rand Feb. 8, 1919 1,419,394 McKee June 13, 1922 2,192,178 Bosse Mar. 5, 1940 2,435,077 Hall Jan. 27, 1948 2,584,174 Weston Feb. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 692,774 Germany June 28, 1940 929,695 France July 15, 1947 

